1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an input apparatus for a portable electronic device that is configured relatively small so as to be portable. Further, the present invention relates to a portable electronic device, and in particular to portable electronic device and input method for a portable electronic device that use jog dial functionality for input operation.
2. Description of Related Art
Today, portable electronic devices such as mobile telephone terminals having, in order to make it possible to perform complex input operations simply, an input apparatus commonly referred to as a jog dial have been commercialized. FIG. 19 shows an example of one such mobile telephone terminal having a conventional jog dial input apparatus. This mobile telephone terminal 200 is constructed in such a manner that a first housing 201 and a second housing 202 are joined at a joint 203 so as to be foldable. In such a case, keys 204, such as function keys, and a jog dial 205 are provided on the first housing 201, and a display section 206 is provided on the second housing 202.
The jog dial 205 rotates, with a rotation shaft formed in the longitudinal direction of the dial at the center, in a given direction and the direction opposite thereto. Therefore, it is configured with a rotatable member, and further, the jog dial can be pressed inward towards the rotation shaft. In this case, the rotation of the rotation member is accompanied by some clicking feeling, and, for example, each time the rotation member is rotated by a given angle, such as a few ten degrees, a mechanical click occurs.
Such a jog dial 205 enables various operations that combine a rotational operation and a pressing operation. For example, a selection of an item to be inputted (for example, text) may be performed through rotation, and the selected item may be confirmed by pressing. In addition, operations such as menu selection with a finger are made possible. Thus, with a jog dial, various operations can be performed easily with just one operation means. And, as mentioned above, by having a mechanical click occur every time the jog dial is rotated by a given angle, the user is, based on the number of clicks that have occurred, able to know how much input has been given (for example, how many steps), and the ease of use is improved.
In addition, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-244787, there is disclosed a particular configuration of a mobile information device in which a mechanical jog dial is provided on a hinge section, and in which the mechanical jog dial is exposed even when the display panel is folded.